Tag: audiobooks

Glastonbury 2025 Is Calling: Discover Your Next Favorite Artist With Our Personalized Experience

June 20, 2025

In just a few days, the pilgrimage to Worthy Farm begins. Glastonbury, the legendary green-field gathering of music lovers, is nearly upon us. Get ready for a weekend packed with epic performances, unforgettable moments, and—if you’ve prayed to the weather gods—no mud.

This year Spotify is back for a second time, bringing the power of personalization and discovery to your Glastonbury 2025 festivities. After a successful partnership last year, we’re leveling up the fun with even more ways to connect with the music and artists you love.

Discover the performers that vibe with your taste

With our personalized in-app experience on mobile, you can see exactly how well your music taste aligns with the Glastonbury lineup, find out which artists you’ve been listening to the most, and discover new favorites you’re bound to love with a playlist crafted just for you.

 

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And for those who’ll be on the ground in Glastonbury, we’re once again teaming up with Vodafone on the Official Glastonbury App. Just link your Spotify account within the app and we’ll whip up a curated lineup of recommendations based on your listening habits, highlighting artists you already love and introducing you to potential new obsessions. It’s like having your own personal music guru guiding you through the festival.

Dive into our revamped Glastonbury hub and official playlist

The Glastonbury 2025 hub on Spotify is your one-stop shop for all things Glastonbury. Browse individual stage lineups, discover hidden gems, and explore a handpicked selection of Glastonbury-related podcasts and audiobooks. It’s the perfect way to get hyped for the festival and keep the vibes going long after the last note has faded.

Your official personalized Glastonbury 2025 playlist, found in the Glastonbury hub, takes cues from your listening habits to offer a musical experience catered to you. 

“We’re delighted to once again partner with Glastonbury to bring Spotify’s hugely popular personalization and discovery tools to support the world’s greatest celebration of music,” said Marc Hazan, Vice President Global Marketing and Partnerships for Spotify. “We hope the sharecards, the Glastonbury hub on Spotify, and the personalized lineups via the app will help fans feel an even deeper connection to the artists they love before, during, and after their time at Worthy Farm.”

For the Record caught up with Spotify Senior Music Editor Shannon Carragher to get the inside scoop on the Glastonbury 2025 playlist, the in-app experience, and the performances she’s most excited for. 

What makes the perfect Glastonbury playlist?

Variety, familiarity, and curiosity. That’s what we set out to capture in the official Glastonbury 2025 playlist. The festival is packed with everything from underground DJs spinning at Stonebridge Bar and Shangri La, to brand-new artists playing smaller stages, to massive headline acts, so we wanted the playlist to reflect that same range.

The official Glastonbury 2025 playlist is also tailored to you. The sequencing of the songs selected by our editors are shaped around your listening habits, so the artists you already love will shine through, while also introducing you to others playing the festival who might just become new favorites.

How does the in-app integration with Spotify enhance the fan experience at the festival?

It’s all about making the experience better for fans. In the Glastonbury app, you can connect your Spotify account to get personalized lineup recommendations based on your listening habits. You’ll see your top 10 artists from the lineup, along with a broader selection when you tap Discover More, helping you uncover acts you’re likely to love.

Once you’ve found someone that interests you, you can head to their artist page in the app to check out their most popular tracks, with a direct link to listen on Spotify. It’s a seamless way to explore the lineup, discover new favorites, and get even more excited for the festival.

Who are you most excited to see perform at Glastonbury this year?

 

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If I had to pick a few, CMAT’s debut on the Pyramid Stage is right up there. It’s going to be a career-defining moment and, honestly, so much fun to watch. Then there’s Sunday: Turnstile into Wolf Alice into The Maccabees. That’s the dream. An explosive set of Baltimore hardcore finally hitting Worthy Farm, followed by a transcendent and ethereal performance from North London’s finest, and then the reunion I’ve been waiting almost a decade for from South London legends. I’ll probably be sobbing through all of it.

For all things Glastonbury 2025, check out this year’s hub and your very own personalized playlist.

Spotify Delivers Growth for the Publishing Industry: Audiobooks Sales Continue to Grow

June 10, 2025

Since Audiobooks in Premium launched on Spotify in 2023, we’ve seen strong growth all around, with our catalog of English-language audiobooks nearly tripling in size to more than 400,000 titles.

And the number of audiobooks listeners and listening hours increased by more than 30% and 35% year-over-year, respectively, in the U.S., U.K., and Australia. More recently, since the launch of audiobooks in France and the Benelux last year, we’ve also seen audiobook listeners in those countries grow by a monthly average of 12%.

Much of this growth is driven by users who were listening to an audiobook for the very first time. This isn’t just (really) cool — we believe it’s playing a key role in the sales of the publishing industry overall.

A newly released survey by the Audiobook Publishers Association shows that audiobook sales grew by 13% in 2024, with 99% of the revenues generated by digital audiobooks.  

More specifically, our publishing partners are seeing growth and are citing Spotify as a key contributor to that growth.

  • U.K. publisher Bloomsbury reported that audio sales during its 2025 fiscal year “grew 57 percent in part driven by our new commercial relationship with Spotify.”
  • French publisher Lagadere mentioned in its 2024 financial report that “digital sales grew significantly in the audio segment (up 38%), driven by a new partnership with Spotify.”
  • U.S. publisher HarperCollins has also said that in the fourth quarter of 2024, audiobook sales rose by 13% compared to Q4 2023, with parent company News Corp pointing out our entrance into the audiobook market as a catalyst for that growth.

We want to help the industry maintain this momentum by introducing even more listeners to the world of audiobooks. And we’ll do that by continuing to provide the best experience for authors, publishers, and listeners alike. So far, we’ve done this by: 

Audiobooks have the power to transform the way stories are told and enjoyed, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this revolution.

Find your next great read by browsing the Audiobooks hub on Spotify.

Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club Podcast Is Launching on Spotify, Plus Her Summer Reading Picks

June 4, 2025

Whether she’s in the studio, on a tour bus, or traveling the world, there’s one thing Dua Lipa always carries with her: a good book. And now, the star’s acclaimed Service95 Book Club video interview series is expanding its reach with a new presence on Spotify. Starting June 10, Dua’s conversations with authors will be available for Spotify’s vast audience to view, creating new avenues for discovery and connection.

The Service95 Book Club has become a beloved space for Dua’s fans and literary enthusiasts alike, featuring her personally curated monthly reads and exclusive Q&As with authors, plus reading recommendations from the Service95 team. The Service95 Book Club With Dua Lipa podcast will feature both brand-new interviews with authors of Dua’s monthly reads and a treasure trove of conversations from the Service95 archives.

“For me, one of the best things about reading is getting to chat with my friends about the book that’s just blown my mind,” said Dua. “But surely the ultimate fantasy would be to have the author in the room there with us, answering all our questions about the incredible world they’ve created. Well, I get to live out my fantasy with the Service95 Book Club podcast, where in each episode I share a book I love and I’m joined by the author themselves. As someone who really is obsessed with books, it’s a dream come true.”

To celebrate the launch, here are a few of Dua’s summer 2025 book picks: 

  • This House of Grief by Helen Garner: “It wouldn’t be my book pile without at least one harrowing story. [This is] a nonfiction account of a case that follows an accused father driving his car into a dam with his three sons in the back. I couldn’t put it down.”
  • Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “This has been in my TBR [to-be-read] pile for a while and I can’t wait to have time to read it this summer.”
  • Fearless and Free by Josephine Baker: “Formed from over 20 years of conversations with French journalist Marcel Sauvage, this memoir has just been published in English for the first time.”

“It’s a genuine thrill to welcome Dua Lipa and the Service95 Book Club to Spotify,” said Roshni Radia, Audiobooks Editor at Spotify. “Dua’s unique style and clear passion for literature make this a perfect fit for us, and it really showcases the full ecosystem of creative talent on Spotify. We’re excited to see fans of Dua’s music fall in love with this interview series, and then go on to discover new authors whose audiobooks they can listen to right there on Spotify, too.”

Check out the trailer for the Service95 Book Club With Dua Lipa, launching June 10 on Spotify.

Six Captivating Audiobooks Amplify Asian and Pacific Islander Artists

May 20, 2025

Throughout the month of May, Spotify is celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by amplifying the many artists, creators, and authors who share the richness of their heritage through music, podcasts, and audiobooks.

For authors in particular, we’re showcasing the diverse range of voices, themes, and experiences with a dedicated audiobook shelf in our Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month hub. The hub features a curated collection of titles where you can find works from some of the literary world’s biggest names. 

We tapped our editors to share six top picks to get you started.

Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder

By Asako Yuzuki

Narrated by Hanako Footman

Inspired by true events, Asako Yuzuki’s bestseller explores misogyny, romance, and the transgressive pleasure of food through the story of a female gourmet cook/serial killer, and the journalist intent on cracking her case. 

Gifted & Talented

By Olivie Blake

Narrated by Eunice Wong

Olivie Blake, bestselling author of The Atlas Six, tells the story of three siblings reckoning with long-festering rivalries and dangerous abilities. When their CEO father dies, any one of the telepathically and electrokinetically gifted siblings could inherit the Wrenfare throne.

Pachinko

By Min Jin Lee

Narrated by Sandra Oh, Min Jin Lee

In Pachinko, four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family fight to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan. In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger. When she discovers she is pregnant—and that her lover is married—she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son’s powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.

Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning

By Cathy Park Hong

Narrated by Cathy Park Hong 

Poet and essayist Cathy Park Hong blends memoir, cultural criticism and history to expose fresh truths about racialized consciousness in America. As the daughter of Korean immigrants, the author grew up steeped in shame, suspicion, and melancholy. She would later understand that so-called “minor feelings” occur when American optimism contradicts one’s own reality. 

Shanghailanders: A Novel

By Juli Min

Narrated by Mei Mei Macleod 

Juli Min’s debut novel follows a cosmopolitan Shanghai household backward in time—from 2040 and through the present and recent past—exploring their secrets, their losses, and the ways a family makes and remakes itself across the years. 

The Emperor of Gladness

By Ocean Vuong

Narrated by James Aaron Oh

Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, The Emperor of Gladness shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. 

For much more content celebrating API artists—including playlists, podcasts, artist spotlights, and more—visit our special Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month hub on Spotify.

Celebrate Earth Day With Audiobooks That Educate and Entertain

April 22, 2025

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22. On Spotify, listeners can explore a world of stories about our planet in our Everything Earth Day hub, which features curated audiobook playlists for all ages and interests. We tapped our editors to share five of their favorite picks.

Zonia’s Rain Forest 

By Juana Martinez-Neal
Narrated by Sisa Quispe and Cinthya Gonzales Perez

Zonia’s Rain Forest takes young readers into the wonders of the Amazon rainforest alongside Zonia, an Asháninka girl. Every morning, the rainforest calls to Zonia…but one morning, it calls to her in a troubled voice. How will Zonia answer?

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year

By Margaret Renkl
Narrated by Margaret Renkl

Bestselling author Margaret Renkl charts the creatures and plants found in her own backyard over the course of a year, weaving a tale of joy in the pleasures of the natural world and grief over each season’s ending. Along the way, we also glimpse the changing rhythms of human life.

The Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions

By Greta Thunberg
Narrated by Amelia Stubberfield, Greta Thunberg, Nicholas Khan, and Olivia Forrest

Greta Thunberg, known around the world for her climate activism, shares advice to help secure a safe future for life on Earth. Thunberg weaves her own story with the wisdom of more than 100 experts—from geophysicists to economists to philosophers—to equip us with the knowledge we need to combat climate disaster.

Black Flora: Inspiring Profiles of Floriculture’s New Vanguard

By Teresa Speight
Narrated by Lynnette R. Freeman

Black Flora is the first book to feature profiles of contemporary Black experts innovating in the world of flowers. Longtime gardener Teresa Speight unearths the floral legacies of the past and present, providing inspiration for younger generations of plant lovers seeking examples of successful Black floral artists and entrepreneurs.

Migrations: A Novel 

By Charlotte McConaghy
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik

Migrations is an ode to a disappearing world with Franny Stone as its center, as she arrives in Greenland with nothing but her research gear. Her singular purpose is to follow the last Arctic terns in the world on what might be their final migration to Antarctica. But when Franny’s dark secrets catch up with her, how much is she willing to risk for one more chance at redemption?

Looking for more inspiring tales? Head to our Everything Earth Day hub.

Spotify Expands Its Audiobooks Offering To Listeners In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein

April 15, 2025

As the world’s most popular audio-streaming subscription service, Spotify is committed to expanding the audiobook industry, enabling more listeners than ever to discover and engage, and paving the way for future innovation.

We saw early adoption of podcasts and audiobooks in Germany, with labels and fans embracing both formats. Recognizing this potential, we spoke to our users and began innovating and building podcasts globally. 

There’s already a strong appetite for audiobooks across German-speaking markets. With millions of people enjoying audiobooks on Spotify in Germany, we’re excited to enhance this experience by providing a Premium experience for our users of Spotify Individual and Duo or Family Plan Managers.

Today we’re launching an enhanced audiobooks offering in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Eligible Premium listeners in these markets will have access to 350,000 audiobooks, including titles in German, French, and Italian.

Eligible Premium subscribers will receive 12 hours of audiobook listening each month, and additional 10-hour allocations can be purchased as needed from €9.99. Listeners without an eligible Premium subscription will be able to pay to unlock access to individual audiobook titles a la carte. 

Delivering a better listening experience 

In Germany, there’s a rich tradition of storytelling and “Hörspiele” (audio plays), which has paved the way for the popularity of audiobooks. Today, audiobooks are a significant part of the cultural landscape, preserving and promoting literature in a modern format. 

With Audiobooks in Premium, users will find a host of new benefits that will make the listening experience even better. Along with an expanded catalog—which includes titles like Cornelia Funke’s Tintenherz, Caroline Wahl’s 22 Bahnen, and Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing—listeners can:

  • Search more easily via our dedicated Audiobooks tab.
  • Explore recommendations from our Home feed.
  • Access our hub to discover top titles curated by our editorial experts. 
  • Save their progress in an audiobook, ensuring they can easily pick up where they left off during their next listening session. 
  • Pre-save upcoming releases from their favorite authors with Countdown Pages.
  • Use our Spotify Sleep Timer so they don’t lose their place.

“We are turning up the volume on where people are already listening, and getting even more great stories to them with this new catalog and listening experience. In the markets where we have already launched, we’ve already accelerated growth for the audiobook business, and that’s what we’re committed to doing here in Germany and across Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein,” said David Kaefer, VP Audiobooks Business.

Find your next great read by browsing the Audiobooks hub on Spotify.

*Terms apply. 12 hours/month from our subscriber catalog available to Individual and Duo or Family Plan Managers only.

Spotify Invests €1 Million To Help Authors and Publishers Produce More Audiobooks

April 11, 2025

Since entering the audiobooks space in 2022, Spotify has positively impacted the industry, paying out hundreds of millions of dollars to rights holders on an annualized basis. In our more mature markets, audiobooks have also become one of the biggest sources of revenue growth for publishers. 

Our data shows a significant increase in unique listeners who are discovering the magic of audiobooks for the first time via Spotify. By driving discovery and bringing in new audiences, we’re increasing overall audiobook consumption, which provides another avenue of growing revenue for authors and publishers. 

Since launching Audiobooks in France and Benelux last October, we’ve seen an average month-over-month growth of 12% in listeners and listening hours. In France, we are continuing to bring a younger, more diverse audience to audiobooks, with nearly 60% of listeners aged 18 to 34 accounting for over half of all listening hours. 

In order to continue to build opportunities for authors and publishers, especially in countries where the audiobook market isn’t yet mature, we want to support audiobook production. Today  we are announcing that we’re investing €1 million to increase the production of audiobooks in non-English languages, starting with French and Dutch.

This investment reinforces our desire to grow the market for authors and publishers, particularly in markets where audiobooks are still growing as a format, while improving the catalog and consumer experience.

“Our aim is to help create long-term value for the publishing industry and build new revenue streams for partners. To do that we must attract new audiences whilst also retaining existing book lovers, and audiobooks can play a key role in that. But at the heart of that must be great books. With less than 3% of French-language books available in audio format today, this is a great opportunity to help publishers and authors find new readers,” said Jérémy Amsellem, Audiobooks Partnerships and Licensing Manager for Europe.

Helping authors thrive

High production costs and slow market adoption have limited the number of non-English audiobooks available to listeners. In France, for example, there are approximately 750,000 titles in French, but approximately 20,000 audiobooks. In the Netherlands, there are approximately 15,000 audiobooks in Dutch from a total physical catalogue of 209,000.

Spotify believes in the power of human narration, and we will continue to work with partners and the narrator community to bring these titles to fans in French and Dutch languages. But we will also offer Digital Voice Narration as part of this investment to help make audiobook production more cost-effective for those partners who require a lower barrier to entry. For listeners, AI-narrated titles will be clearly identified in the description with “this audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.”

Finally, we know authors and publishers want to reach the widest possible audience. That’s why all cofunded audiobooks will be nonexclusive and made available on Spotify, with the option to host on any other major platform.

We want to create the best possible experience for authors, publishers, and listeners, and this investment marks another important steptoward introducing audiobooks to new audiences, diversifying our catalog, and providing more choices in more languages than ever before.

Discover more about our audiobooks offering at Spotify for Authors.

Celebrate Women’s History Month With These Empowering Audiobooks

March 18, 2025

Looking for inspiration this Women’s History Month? Discover the stories of trailblazing women with audiobooks on Spotify. Our Women’s History Month audiobooks hub features several curated playlists, from memoirs of resilience to powerful fiction. Here are six picks to dive into.

I’m That Girl: Living the Power of My Dreams

By Jordan Chiles
Narrated by Angel Pean and Jordan Chiles

I’m That Girl is a testament to the power of perseverance. Two-time Olympian Jordan Chiles—who made history last year in Paris as part of the first all-Black podium in men’s and women’s gymnastics—chronicles her path to success, including the joy of winning, the pain of defeat, and the unwavering support of her family and teammates.

The Women: A Novel

By Kristin Hannah
Narrated by Julia Whelan and Kristin Hannah

The Women is a story of courage and sacrifice with nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath at its center. In 1965, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows her brother to Vietnam. Amid the chaos and destruction of war, she forms deep friendships, but faces the real battle coming home to a divided America.

Who’s That Girl?: A Memoir

By Eve
Narrated by Eve

Hip-hop sensation Eve reflects on her rise to stardom, navigating the male-dominated rap industry, and balancing fame with personal struggles. From her groundbreaking debut album in 1999 to winning the inaugural Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy for “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” the artist reveals untold stories behind her legendary career.

I’ll Have What She’s Having

By Chelsea Handler
Narrated by Chelsea Handler

From spiking lemonade at age 10 to outrageous celebrity encounters, Chelsea Handler has never been one to hold back. I’ll Have What She’s Having is full of hilarious and tender stories about her path to becoming the woman she always wanted to be—strong, confident, and unapologetically herself.

Candy Darling: Dreamer, Icon, Superstar

By Cynthia Carr
Narrated by Justin Vivian Bond

Acclaimed biographer Cynthia Carr offers the first full portrait of the queer icon and Warhol superstar Candy Darling. Candy inspired music, posed for famous photographers, and befriended legends. Read by cabaret star Justin Vivian Bond, Candy Darling is laced with Candy’s own words and her friends’ recollections.

Here for the Wrong Reasons

By Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang
Narrated by Mara Wilson and Lindsey Dorcus

In this Bachelor-inspired rom-com from writing and romantic partners Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang, Krystin and Lauren vie for the affection of the same leading man. But neither contestant expects a heteronormative dating show to challenge their own deeply ingrained ideas of who they are—and what they want.

Looking for more captivating tales? Head to our Women’s History Month audiobooks hub.

How Spotify Is Driving Growth, Discovery, and Innovation in the Audiobook Market

March 13, 2025

Spotify took center stage at the London Book Fair this week, reaffirming our commitment to the audiobook market and showcasing our impact on the publishing industry. During a presentation and panel discussion led by Duncan Bruce, Spotify’s Director of Partnerships & Licensing for audiobooks, we highlighted our ongoing efforts in expanding the audiobook ecosystem, attracting new audiences, and driving revenue growth for publishers and authors.

Since launching our audiobooks in Premium offering in 2023, we’ve significantly expanded our catalog: up from 150,000 to 400,000 titles in English-language markets. This growth has been fueled by some of Spotify’s more recent deals with leading publishers like Bloomsbury, Podium, and Crooked Lane Books.

Building on our success in English-language markets, we also expanded our audiobooks offering to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg last year with promising early results.

Attracting new audiences through discovery

Beyond catalog expansion, we’re focused on connecting listeners with audiobooks they’ll love. Unlike traditional credit-based models, Spotify encourages exploration and serendipitous encounters with new authors and genres. To facilitate this discovery, we leverage a blend of human curation and algorithmic recommendations. While algorithms personalize recommendations based on listening history and preferences, our expert editors curate playlists, craft thematic collections, and hand-pick hidden gems to guide listeners on a journey of discovery.

This discovery-driven model is attracting entirely new audiences to the format. In fact, we’ve seen a 30% year-over-year increase in listeners on Spotify in the U.K., the U.S., and Australia. This aligns with Nielsen’s Bookdata for the U.K., which shows that 24% of users who consumed an audiobook in 2024 did so for the first time that year.

In the U.K., the U.S., and Australia, audiobook listening hours on Spotify are up more than 35% year over year. All of this translates to growing revenue for authors and publishers, with Spotify now paying hundreds of millions of dollars to rights holders each year. In the U.S., the Association of American Publishers recently reported that audiobook revenues soared by 23% in 2024, contributing to an overall 6.5% revenue increase for the entire book ecosystem.

What’s old is new again

Our unique approach is also breathing new life into backlist and niche titles. These often-overlooked gems are finding new audiences and generating fresh revenue streams on Spotify, proving that great stories deserve to be heard regardless of their publication dates or genres. Seven of the top 10 audiobooks on Spotify in 2024 in the U.K. were backlist titles, with five of them being more than five years old.

We’re incredibly excited about the future of audiobooks and remain committed to innovation, expansion, and building features that enhance the listening experience for everyone. Audiobooks have the power to transform the way people consume stories, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this revolution.

Head to Spotify to find your next great listen.

Spotify Audiobooks Launches a New Publishing Program for Independent Authors

March 13, 2025

At Spotify, we work every day to lift up new voices, giving creators the opportunity to live off their art. Through Spotify Audiobooks, our in-house publishing imprint, we’ve partnered with various publishers and authors to license and produce hundreds of titles. 

Starting today, Spotify Audiobooks is launching a new website encouraging independent authors to submit short-form stories for audiobook creation and publishing consideration by Spotify. 

“Spotify Audiobooks is thrilled to be opening submissions for short-form content written by independent authors who are as passionate about audiobooks as we are,” said Leah Kleynhans, Spotify Audiobooks Producer. “We know Spotify users will love exploring these intense, bite-sized listens, and expanding our audiobooks catalog in this way gives fans even more choice in the content they love to consume on our platform.”

This is a global program, and any author with an English-language short-form story who controls their own audio rights for that story can submit.

If Spotify chooses to move forward with an author’s submission, Spotify will publish the audiobook, which includes paying an advance and royalties, managing all aspects of production, and distribution to major audiobook retailers.

Looking to submit your own short-form story? Just follow these simple guidelines.

How to submit your story to Spotify Audiobooks

    • Visit our short-form audiobooks site, which contains frequently asked questions and a link to the submission page. 
    • Make sure your story is a novelette of approximately 10,000-20,000 words.
    • Focus on three genres: romance, mystery/thriller, or sci-fi/fantasy. 
      • Cross-genre works like romantasy, dark romance thriller, mystery sci-fi, or psychological thriller are encouraged. 
      • Note: Please do not submit erotica or children’s content.
    • Submissions will be chosen on a rolling basis.

Spotify is committed to lowering the barrier to entry so more authors than ever can have their books heard. As part of this initiative, Spotify is also encouraging independent authors who prefer self-publication to upload existing short-form audiobooks via Findaway Voices. So with Spotify Audiobooks there’s an opportunity to have your book produced by and distributed through Spotify and with Findaway Voices, a way for existing content to reach new fans.

Learn more about the program at our Short-Form Audiobooks website.

Canada’s Own Rupi Kaur Curates the Latest Edition of Local Spot, Revealing the Songs and Artists That Shaped Her

March 11, 2025

For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. With Spotify’s playlist series Local Spot, celebrated Canadians are given a cool, eclectic space to introduce fans to their favorite Canadian artists. 

Featuring all-Canadian music curation, Local Spot offers global audiences a glimpse into the unique music tastes of the country’s celebrated figures. For our latest edition of Local Spot, poet, artist, and performer Rupi Kaur takes over as our featured curator. 

A breakout literary phenomenon and number-one New York Times bestselling author, Rupi wrote, illustrated, and self-published her first poetry collection, milk and honey, in 2014, followed by the sun and her flowers, home body, and healing through words. Together, these collections have sold more than 12 million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages.

Rupi has also made her mark in film and television, producing a first-of-its-kind poetry special, Rupi Kaur Live, the film This Place, and the 2024 Academy Award–nominated film To Kill a Tiger.

For her contribution to Local Spot, Rupi takes listeners on a journey through the songs and artists who inspire her, including Shawn Mendes, Charlotte Day Wilson, The Weeknd, Avril Lavigne, Daniel Caesar, KAYTRANADA, and Celine Dion. Ahead of the playlist’s release, For the Record sat down with Rupi to talk about her experience curating Local Spot, her influences and creative process, and how growing up in Canada has shaped her.

Talk to us about curating Local Spot.

It was so much fun to revisit some of my favorite tracks from the last 15 years or so. I actually felt very at home listening to them and was moved to write. 

In one sentence, how would you describe your playlist?

The songs that raised and healed me. 

What does your Canadian identity mean to you?

As an immigrant, I have always felt like Canada is a place of inclusivity and hope. I have always existed between two worlds—my parents’ homeland and the one we built here. That duality is in everything I write. Now, as I travel the world, I’m often reminded of how much the diversity of Canada has contributed to my art. 

Who are some of your favorite Canadian authors and music artists?

Canadian writers I have deep love for include Michael Ondaatje, Lawrence Hill, Alice Munro. My favorite Canadian music artists are Charlotte Cardin, Charlotte Day Wilson, and The Weeknd. 

What’s your writing process like?

Writing is a conversation with myself. It starts with a feeling—something stirring deep in my gut. I sit with it and let it rise to the surface. My best ideas come when I give them space. They visit in the quiet moments—long walks, in the middle of a conversation, or right before I fall asleep. 

How do you incorporate listening to music into that process?

Music sets the tone and pulls me back into memories of the past or hopes for the future. Sometimes I need silence—to hear the rhythm of the poem itself. But oftentimes I use music to set the mood.  

Do you think there’s a crossover between music and literature?

Absolutely. Both are rhythmic. Both tell stories. A poem is a song stripped of its melody, and a song is a poem brought to life through sound. Before he started his career as a musician, Leonard Cohen was a poet and novelist. That’s just one of many examples that showcase that there’s so much natural crossover between the crafts. 

What writer or music artist has had the biggest influence on you?

Khalil Gibran taught me about duality. Audre Lorde and Bell Hooks taught me about power. In music, I return to Nina Simone, Florence Welch, and the haunting melodies of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Your books milk and honey, the sun and her flowers, and homebody touch on love, loss, trauma, and healing. Is listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks part of a healthy routine for you?

Music, podcasts, books are all part of my healing. Some days, I need a song that holds me. Other days, I need words that remind me I am not alone. 

What does it mean to you to know that your fans get to hear you read your works on the audiobook versions of your books?

I write my poetry with sound in mind—the way the words flow, the rhythm of each line. Hearing me read it aloud brings that element to life. For a reader, poetry is personal and they interpret it through their own lens. For a listener, they hear it the way it was meant to be spoken. 

What’s your earliest memory of stories being read aloud to you?

My father’s voice. He would sit with me and recite Punjabi poetry, letting the words dance in the air between us. He taught me that poetry is meant to be felt, not just understood.

Press play to listen to Rupi’s collection of Canadian gems in the latest edition of Local Spot:

Stories That Shine: Audiobooks and Podcasts To Enjoy This Awards Season

February 28, 2025

Awards season is a celebration of cinematic excellence, but the best stories often start on the page. From a beloved Wizard of Oz retelling to the captivating biopic of a music icon, many of this year’s most lauded films were inspired by books. On Spotify, enjoy the full experience: Immerse yourself in the original stories via audiobooks, then explore podcasts with insightful commentary and behind-the-scenes coverage of the season’s biggest films. Here are some editor-approved picks to begin your journey.

Audiobooks

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

By Gregory Maguire
Narrated by John McDonough
Inspired Best Picture nominee Wicked

As unforgettable as its green-skinned witch, this is the book that inspired the Tony Award–winning hit musical and major motion picture of the same name. Gregory Maguire’s Wicked reimagines the story of one of the most feared and hated characters in all of literature: the Wicked Witch of the West, who, as Maguire tells us, wasn’t nearly as Wicked as we imagined.

Dune: Book One in the Dune Chronicles

By Frank Herbert
Narrated by Scott Brick, Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, Ilyana Kadushin, and Simon Vance
Inspired Best Picture nominee Dune: Part Two

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune: Book One in the Dune Chronicles follows Paul Atreides, the heir to a noble family caught in a web of treachery that sets him on a journey toward a greater destiny. The Frank Herbert masterpiece combines adventure, mysticism, environmentalism, and politics, making it one of the most influential works in science fiction.

Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties

By Elijah Wald
Narrated by Sean Runnette
Inspired Best Picture nominee A Complete Unknown

On July 25, 1965, Bob Dylan shocked the world at the Newport Folk Festival by playing electric guitar, marking the birth of rock as a cultural force. In Dylan Goes Electric, Elijah Wald offers fresh insights into the night that reshaped popular music, exploring the clash between folk and rock, Dylan’s artistic evolution, and his complex relationship with the folk movement and mentor Pete Seeger.

Discover more books that have sparked films and TV shows on Spotify’s “From book to screen” shelf.

Podcasts

Before Hollywood’s biggest night, catch up on preshow coverage to get the inside track on the season’s most anticipated moments.

The Big Picture

Episode: “The 2025 Alternative Oscars, a.k.a. the 5th Annual Big Picks!”

Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins hand out alternative awards for the major categories, plus their own fun picks—the snubbed, the beloved, and more.

Episode: “Final 2025 Oscar Predictions: Who Will Win and Should Win”

Sean and Amanda dive into the latest news on the 2026 movie slate and make their final predictions for the 2025 winners, losers, and everything in between.

The Town with Matthew Belloni

Episode: “Inside Tips to Predict the 2025 Oscar Winners”

Matt Belloni is joined by top talent manager Michael Lasker to sift through the awards season buzz and share tips for finding a gambling edge on the big night.

For post-show coverage, tune back in to The Big Picture and The Town, as well as Ringer Dish for a special episode covering red-carpet reactions and viral surprises.